System and method for tailoring magnetic forces

ABSTRACT

A magnetic system described herein includes first and second magnetic structures that simultaneously produce repel forces and attract forces that combine to produce a composite force that can be an attract force, a repel force, or a force that transitions from an attract force to a repel force.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/808,770, filed Jul. 24, 2015, now pending, whichis a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 14/578,349, filed Dec. 20, 2014, now pending, and claims the benefitunder 35 USC 119(e) of provisional application 62/175,865, titled“System and Method for Tailoring Magnetic Forces”, filed Jun. 15, 2015by Fullerton et al.; Ser. No. 14/578,349 is a continuation applicationof U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/061,956, filed Oct. 24, 2013, nowU.S. Pat. No. 8,947,185, which is a continuation application of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/892,246, filed May 11, 2013, now U.S.Pat. No. 9,570,130, which is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/465,001, filed May 6, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No.8,471,658, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/179,759, filed Jul. 11, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,174,347, whichclaimed the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/399,448(filed Jul. 12, 2010) and is a continuation-in-part of U.S.Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 12/885,450 (filed Sep. 18,2010), now U.S. Pat. No. 7,982,568, which claims the benefit of U.S.provisional patent applications 61/277,214 (filed Sep. 22, 2009),61/277,900 (filed Sep. 30, 2009), 61/278,767 (filed Oct. 9, 2009),61/279,094 (filed Oct. 16, 2009), 61/281,160 (filed Nov. 13, 2009),61/283,780 (filed Dec. 9, 2009), 61/284,385 (filed Dec. 17, 2009), and61/342,988 (filed Apr. 22, 2010). The contents of these documents arehereby incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a magnetic system. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to a magnetic system where repelforces and attract forces are produced simultaneously such that a repelforce curve and an attract force curve are combined to produce acomposite force curve.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention provides a magnetic systemcomprising a first magnetizable material comprising a first polaritypattern comprising a first plurality of polarity regions and a secondmagnetizable material comprising a second polarity pattern comprising asecond plurality of polarity regions, where when the first magnetizablematerial is aligned with the second magnetizable material, the firstpolarity pattern and second polarity pattern produce a compositemagnetic force curve, the composite magnetic force curve comprising afirst magnetic force curve with a first extinction rate and a secondmagnetic force curve with a second extinction rate.

The composite magnetic force curve can be an attract force where thefirst magnetic force curve is an attract force and the second magneticforce curve is a repel force where the first extinction rate is greaterthan the second extinction rate.

The first magnetizable material can be moveable relative to the secondmagnetizable material in at least two dimensions for a first portion ofthe composite first curve.

The first magnetizable material can be moveable relative to the secondmagnetizable material in only one dimension for a second portion of thecomposite first curve.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a magnetic systemcomprising

a first magnetizable material having a first portion having a firstalternating polarity pattern and a second portion having a secondalternating polarity pattern, where when the first magnetizable materialis aligned with a second magnetizable material the first and secondmagnetizable material produce magnetic forces in accordance with acomposite force curve comprising a first force curve having a firstextinction rate and a second force curve having a second extinction rategreater than the first extinction rate.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a magnetic systemcomprising a first portion of a first magnetizable material having afirst alternating polarity pattern having only two polarity regions, anda second portion of the first magnetizable material having a secondalternating polarity pattern having three or more polarity regions,wherein when the first magnetizable material is aligned with a secondmagnetizable material the first and second magnetizable material producemagnetic forces in accordance with a composite force curve comprising afirst force curve and a second force curve.

The first magnetizable material can be capable of being misalignedrelative to the second magnetizable material.

The first force curve can be configured to align the first magnetizablematerial to the second magnetizable material.

In still another aspect, the present invention provides a magneticsystem comprising a first portion of a first magnetizable materialhaving a first polarity pattern and a second portion of the firstmagnetizable material having a second polarity pattern, where when thefirst magnetizable material is aligned with a second magnetizablematerial the first and second magnetizable material produce magneticforces in accordance with a composite force curve comprising a firstforce curve having a first extinction rate and a second force curvehaving a second extinction rate greater than the first extinction rate,wherein the first magnetizable material is moveable relative to thesecond magnetizable material in at least two dimensions.

In a further aspect, the present invention provides a magneticattachment system, comprising a magnetizable material having a firstplurality of regions having a first polarity pattern and having a secondplurality of regions having a second polarity pattern, where when themagnetizable material is aligned with another magnetizable material themagnetizable material and the another magnetizable material producemagnetic forces in accordance with a composite force curve, wherein themagnetizable material is moveable relative to the another magnetizablematerial in at least two dimensions for a first portion of the compositefirst curve and the magnetizable material is moveable relative to theanother magnetizable material in only one dimension for a second portionof the composite first curve.

In an additional aspect, the present invention provides a magneticsystem comprising a first portion of a first magnetizable materialhaving a first polarity pattern and a second portion of the firstmagnetizable material having a second polarity pattern, where when thefirst magnetizable material is aligned with a second magnetizablematerial the first and second magnetizable materials produce magneticforces in accordance with a repel force curve and a first attract forcecurve that combine to produce a composite force curve that is a secondattract force curve.

The second attract force curve can include an inflection point.

The first attract force curve can have a first peak attract force andthe second attract force curve can have a second peak attract force thatis less than the first peak attract force.

In another additional aspect, the present invention provides a magneticsystem comprising a first magnetizable material and a secondmagnetizable material, the first magnetizable material and the secondmagnetizable material producing a repel force curve and a first attractforce curve that combine to produce a composite force curve that is asecond attract force curve having a first attract force at a firstseparation distance and a second attract force at a second separationdistance, and wherein the second separation distance is less than thefirst separation distance and the second attract force is less than thefirst attract force.

In a first portion of the composite force curve, the first magnetizablematerial can be moveable relative to the second magnetizable material inat least two dimensions and, in a second portion of the composite forcecurve, the first magnetizable material can be movable relative to thesecond magnetizable material in only one dimension.

In another additional aspect, the present invention provides a magneticsystem comprising a first magnetized material and a second magnetizedmaterial, the first magnetized material and the second magnetizedmaterial configured to produce a repel force curve and a first attractforce curve that combine to produce a composite force curve that is asecond attract force curve having an inflection point.

In a different aspect, the present invention provides a magnetic systemcomprising

a first magnetizable material having a first alternating polaritypattern having a first code density and a second magnetizable materialhaving a second alternating polarity pattern having a second codedensity greater than the first code density, the first magnetizablematerial and the second magnetizable material being magnetized toproduce a composite force curve having an inflection point.

The composite force curve can be an attract force curve.

The composite force curve can be a repel force curve.

The composite force curve may include a transition from a repel forcecurve to an attract force curve.

In another different aspect, the present invention provides amagnetizable material comprising a first polarity pattern and a secondpolarity pattern, where when the magnetizable material is aligned withanother magnetizable material the magnetizable material and the anothermagnetizable material produce attract and repel magnetic forces inaccordance with a composite force curve that is an attract force curve.

In yet another different aspect, the present invention provides amagnetic system comprising a first magnetizable material having a firstpolarity pattern and a second magnetizable material having the firstpolarity pattern, the first magnetizable material and the secondmagnetizable material each producing a repel force curve and an attractforce curve that combine to produce a first composite force curve, athird magnetizable material having a second polarity pattern, and afourth magnetizable material having the second polarity pattern, thethird magnetizable material and the fourth magnetizable material eachproducing a repel force curve and an attract force curve that combine toproduce a second composite force curve, the first and secondmagnetizable materials being attached to a first object in a line with aspacing between the first and second magnetizable materials, the thirdand fourth magnetizable materials being attached to a second object in aline with a spacing between the third and fourth magnetizable materials,and wherein when the first object and the second object are aligned, thefirst composite force curve and the second composite force curve combineto produce a third composite force curve.

The first polarity pattern of the first magnetizable material can be inreversed order than the first polarity pattern of the secondmagnetizable material.

The first magnetizable material and the second magnetizable material canbe disposed on a plane.

Each of the repel force curves can comprise a first extinction rate andeach of the attract force curves can comprise a second extinction rategreater than the first extinction rate.

In still another different aspect, the present invention provides amagnetic system comprising a first magnetizable material having a firstpolarity pattern and a second magnetizable material having the firstpolarity pattern, the first magnetizable material and the secondmagnetizable material each producing a repel force curve and an attractforce curve that combine to produce a composite force curve when alignedwith a third magnetizable material and a fourth magnetizable materialeach having a second polarity pattern, the first and second magnetizablematerials being attached to a first object in a line with a firstspacing between the first and second magnetizable materials, the thirdand fourth magnetizable materials being attached to a second object in aline with a second spacing between the third and fourth magnetizablematerials, the first spacing being substantially the same as the secondspacing.

The first polarity pattern of the first magnetizable material can be inreversed order than the first polarity pattern of the secondmagnetizable material and the second polarity pattern of the thirdmagnetizable material can be in reversed order than the second polaritypattern of the fourth magnetizable material.

In an additional aspect, the present invention provides a magneticsystem comprising a first magnetizable material comprising a firstportion and a second portion, the first portion having a first polaritypattern having only two polarity regions, the second portion having asecond polarity pattern having three or more regions, and a secondmagnetizable material comprising a third portion and a fourth portion,the third portion having a third polarity pattern that is complementaryto the first polarity pattern, the fourth portion having fourth polaritypattern that is anti-complementary to the second polarity pattern, thefirst magnetizable material and the second magnetizable material beingconfigurable such that the first polarity pattern is aligned with thethird polarity pattern and the second polarity pattern is aligned withthe fourth polarity pattern, the first magnetizable material and thesecond magnetizable material being configurable such that the firstpolarity pattern is misaligned with the third polarity pattern and thesecond polarity pattern is misaligned with the fourth polarity pattern,the first portion and the third portion producing attract magneticforces in accordance with a first attract force curve when the firstpolarity pattern is aligned with the third polarity pattern, the secondportion and the fourth portion producing repel magnetic forces inaccordance with a repel force curve when the second polarity pattern isaligned with the fourth polarity pattern, the first attract force curvehaving a first extinction rate, the repel force curve having a secondextinction rate, the second extinction rate being greater than the firstextinction rate; wherein the repel force curve and the first attractcurve produce a composite force curve that is a second attract forcecurve.

The composite force curve can include an inflection point.

The first magnetizable material can be moveable relative to the secondmagnetizable material in at least two dimensions.

The first magnetizable material is moveable relative to the secondmagnetizable material in at least two dimensions for a first part of thecomposite first curve and the first magnetizable material is moveablerelative to the second magnetizable material in only one dimension for asecond portion of the composite first curve.

The magnetic system may further comprise a third magnetizable materialthat is substantially the same as the first magnetizable material and afourth magnetizable material that is substantially the same as thesecond magnetizable material, the first magnetizable material and thesecond magnetizable material being attached to a first object in a linewith a first spacing between the first magnetizable material and thesecond magnetizable materials, the third magnetizable material and thefourth magnetizable material being attached to a second object in a linewith a second spacing between the third and fourth magnetizablematerials, the first spacing being substantially the same as the secondspacing.

The first magnetizable material, the second magnetizable material, thethird magnetizable material, and the fourth magnetizable material can beconfigured to be magnetically balanced across an interface boundary.

Additional aspects of the invention will be set forth, in part, in thedetailed description, figures and any claims which follow, and in partwill be derived from the detailed description, or can be learned bypractice of the invention. It is to be understood that both theforegoing general description and the following detailed description areexemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the inventionas disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical orfunctionally similar elements. Additionally, the left-most digit(s) of areference number identifies the drawing in which the reference numberfirst appears.

FIG. 1 depicts a Barker 7 code.

FIG. 2 depicts the autocorrelation function of the Barker 7 code.

FIG. 3 depicts use of the Barker 7 code to define a magnetic structure.

FIG. 4A depicts an oblique projection of a first pair of magnetic fieldemission structures and a second pair of magnetic field emissionstructures.

FIG. 4B depicts an exemplary magnetic field emission structure made upof a sparse array of large magnets combined with a large number ofsmaller magnets configured in a non-magnetic material.

FIG. 5 depicts relative alignments of a first magnetic field emissionstructure having polarities and magnetic source positions defined by aBarker 7 code and a second magnetic field emission structure thatcorresponds to three repeating code modulos of the Barker 7 code.

FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary spatial force function of the two magneticfield emission structures of FIG. 5.

FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate exemplary ring magnet structures based on linearcodes.

FIG. 8 depicts an exemplary use of biasing magnet sources to affectspatial forces of magnetic field structures.

FIG. 9 depicts an exemplary spatial force function produced when thesecond magnetic field structure of FIG. 8 is moved across the top of thefirst magnetic field structure of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 depicts exemplary magnetic field structures designed to enableautomatically closing drawers.

FIG. 11 depicts an exemplary first magnet and an exemplary second magnetin an anti-complementary relationship.

FIG. 12 depicts an exemplary force versus distance plot having anexemplary repel force curve.

FIG. 13 depicts multiple force curves produced by varying the codedensity of the magnet sources of a complementary magnet pair usinginstances of a simple two-dimensional alternating polarity‘checkerboard’ code.

FIGS. 14A-14C depict exemplary approaches for subdividing a single pieceof magnetizable material into two or more portions that can bemagnetized to produce different force curves that combine to produce acomposite force curve.

FIG. 14D depicts an exemplary magnetic system comprising multiplediscrete magnets disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,727.

FIG. 15 depicts an exemplary composite force curve produced by combiningan attract force curve and a repel force curve.

FIGS. 16A-16C depict exemplary approaches for subdividing a rectangularpiece of magnetizable material into two or more portions that can bemagnetized to produce different force curves that combine to produce acomposite force curve.

FIG. 17 depicts another arrangement where attract and repel force curvescombine to produce a composite force curve that is also an attract forcecurve.

FIGS. 18A-18C depict three exemplary magnetic systems each involving tworectangular pieces of magnetizable material of the same size and grade.

FIG. 19 depicts the three composite force curves corresponding to thethree exemplary magnetic systems of FIGS. 18A-18C.

FIGS. 20A-20C depict three exemplary magnetic systems very similar tothe magnetic systems of FIGS. 18A-18C, where the first portions of eachof the three magnetic systems has a polarity pattern in accordance witha Barker 3 code.

FIG. 21 depicts an exemplary magnetic system much like that of FIG. 20Cexcept the second portions have a two dimensional alternating polaritypattern.

FIG. 22 depicts an exemplary magnetic system much like that of FIG. 20Cexcept the second portions have a sparse array of maxels of a firstpolarity that are printed on the side of a magnetizable material havinga second polarity.

FIGS. 23A-23C depict exemplary magnetic systems each involving twocircular pieces of magnetizable material of the same size and grade.

FIG. 24 depicts an exemplary method for producing a magnetic system.

FIG. 25 depicts an exemplary magnetic system comprising an exemplarypair of magnetic systems that are each like the exemplary magneticsystem of FIG. 18C.

FIG. 26 depicts an exemplary magnetic system comprising an exemplarymagnetic system that is like the exemplary magnetic system of FIG. 18C.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will now be described more fully in detail withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which the preferredembodiments of the invention are shown. This invention should not,however, be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein;rather, they are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough andcomplete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to thoseskilled in the art.

Certain described embodiments may relate, by way of example but notlimitation, to systems and/or apparatuses for producing magneticstructures, methods for producing magnetic structures, magneticstructures produced via magnetic printing, combinations thereof, and soforth. Example realizations for such embodiments may be facilitated, atleast in part, by the use of an emerging, revolutionary technology thatmay be termed correlated magnetics. This revolutionary technologyreferred to herein as correlated magnetics was first fully described andenabled in the co-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 7,800,471 issued on Sep. 21,2010, and entitled “A Field Emission System and Method”. The contents ofthis document are hereby incorporated herein by reference. A secondgeneration of a correlated magnetic technology is described and enabledin the co-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 7,868,721 issued on Jan. 11, 2011, andentitled “A Field Emission System and Method”. The contents of thisdocument are hereby incorporated herein by reference. A third generationof a correlated magnetic technology is described and enabled in theco-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 8,179,219 issued on May 15, 2012, and entitled“A Field Emission System and Method”. The contents of this document arehereby incorporated herein by reference. Another technology known ascorrelated inductance, which is related to correlated magnetics, hasbeen described and enabled in the co-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 8,115,581issued on Feb. 14, 2012, and entitled “A System and Method for Producingan Electric Pulse”. The contents of this document are herebyincorporated by reference.

Material presented herein may relate to and/or be implemented inconjunction with multilevel correlated magnetic systems and methods forproducing a multilevel correlated magnetic system such as described inU.S. Pat. No. 7,982,568 issued Jul. 19, 2011 which is all incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety. Material presented herein mayrelate to and/or be implemented in conjunction with energy generationsystems and methods such as described in U.S. patent application Ser.No. 13/184,543 filed Jul. 17, 2011, which is all incorporated herein byreference in its entirety. Such systems and methods described in U.S.Pat. No. 7,681,256 issued Mar. 23, 2010, U.S. Pat. No. 7,750,781 issuedJul. 6, 2010, U.S. Pat. No. 7,755,462 issued Jul. 13, 2010, U.S. Pat.No. 7,812,698 issued Oct. 12, 2010, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,817,002, 7,817,003,7,817,004, 7,817,005, and 7,817,006 issued Oct. 19, 2010, U.S. Pat. No.7,821,367 issued Oct. 26, 2010, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,823,300 and 7,824,083issued Nov. 2, 2011, U.S. Pat. No. 7,834,729 issued Nov. 16, 2011, U.S.Pat. No. 7,839,247 issued Nov. 23, 2010, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,843,295,7,843,296, and 7,843,297 issued Nov. 30, 2010, U.S. Pat. No. 7,893,803issued Feb. 22, 2011, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,956,711 and 7,956,712 issued Jun.7, 2011, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,958,575, 7,961,068 and 7,961,069 issued Jun.14, 2011, U.S. Pat. No. 7,963,818 issued Jun. 21, 2011, and U.S. Pat.Nos. 8,015,752 and 8,016,330 issued Sep. 13, 2011 are all incorporatedby reference herein in their entirety.

The number of dimensions to which coding can be applied to designcorrelated magnetic structures is very high giving the correlatedmagnetic structure designer many degrees of freedom. For example, thedesigner can use coding to vary magnetic source size, shape, polarity,field strength, and location relative to other sources in one, two, orthree-dimensional space, and, if using electromagnets orelectro-permanent magnets can even change many of the sourcecharacteristics in time using a control system. Various techniques canalso be applied to achieve multi-level magnetism control. In otherwords, the interaction between two structures may vary depending ontheir separation distance. The possible combinations are essentiallyunlimited.

In accordance with the present invention, first portions of two magneticstructures have a complementary arrangement such that they produce atleast one attract force and second portions of the two magneticstructures have an anti-complementary arrangement such that produce atleast one repel force. The two magnetic structures produce a forcefunction when one of the two structures is moved relative to the otherthat can be tailored based upon the subdivision of the amount of a totalarea available into the first and second portions, the characteristicsof the one or more magnetic sources making up each of the first andsecond portions including the relative location, size, polarity, andfield strength of the magnetic sources. A force function may correspondto at least one of an autocorrelation function or a force versusdistance function, where the relative movement of the two structures maybe may be to translate, rotate, and/or to separate one structurerelative to the other structure.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,800,471, filed May 20, 2008 and issued Sep. 21, 2010,discloses complementary coded magnetic structures that produce a peakattract force when the codes of the two structures are aligned anddiscloses anti-complementary coded magnetic structures that produce apeak repel force when the codes of the two structures are aligned, whereboth the complementary and anti-complementary magnetic structuresproduce a combination of repel and attract forces that will to someextent cancel each other when the codes of the two structures aremisaligned. The disclosures pertaining to FIGS. 1 through 6 below aredisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,800,471.

FIG. 1 depicts a Barker (length) 7 code 100 having seven code elements+1 +1 +1 −1 −1 +1 −1. The Barker 7 code 100 is mapped to a magneticstructure 102 having seven equally sized portions corresponding to sevenequally sized magnetic sources, where the polarity direction of a givenmagnetic source is determined by the value (i.e., +1 or −1) of a givencode element of the Barker 7 code 100. In this embodiment, the fieldstrengths of the magnetic sources are assumed to be the same, which isprovided a unit of 1 (where A=Attract, R=Repel, A=−R, A=1, R=−1). Alsoshown in FIG. 1 is a first magnetic structure 102 that remainsstationary as a second magnetic structure that is complementary to thefirst magnetic structure 102 is shown in thirteen different relativealignments 102-1 through 102-13 corresponding to the code of the secondstructure moving across the code of the first magnetic structure, wherethe combined forces produced by opposing magnetic sources arecalculated.

FIG. 2 depicts the autocorrelation function of the Barker 7 code, wherethe values at each alignment position 1 through 13 correspond to thespatial force values calculated for the thirteen alignment positionsshown in FIG. 1. The peak force (7) is shown to occur at alignmentposition 7, which corresponds to when the two codes are aligned (orcorrelated), and the off-peak forces, which correspond to themisalignment positions, are shown to be zero or a small repel force(−1). Because the peak force is much stronger than the nearby off peakforces, the two magnetic structures have an auto alignmentcharacteristic, where as one of the magnetic structures is moved acrossthe other magnetic structure, the magnetic forces between the twostructures cause them to fully align with each other such that they arecorrelated.

FIG. 3 depicts use of the Barker 7 code to define a magnetic structure302 where each of the magnetic sources has the same strength (A=−R,A=−1, R=1), with the exception of two magnetic sources indicated withbolded N and S that have twice the magnetic strength as the othermagnetic sources. As such, a bolded magnet interfacing with a non-boldedmagnetic source represent 1.5 times the strength as two non-boldedmagnetic sources and two bolded magnetic sources represent twice thestrength of two non-bolded magnetic sources. When a first magneticstructure 302 is moved past a second magnetic structure in thirteendifferent relative alignments 302-1 through 302-13, such as weredepicted in FIG. 1, the combined forces for each alignment produce anautocorrelation function shown in FIG. 4, where the difference betweenthe autocorrelation functions of FIGS. 2 and 4 corresponds to theamplitude modulation of the two magnetic sources in the magneticstructure 302 of FIG. 3. As such, FIGS. 3 and 4 depict how amplitudemodulation (i.e., varying the field strength) of one or more magneticsources making up a magnetic structure can be used to tailor anautocorrelation function.

FIG. 4A depicts an oblique projection of a first pair of magnetic fieldemission structures 402 and a second pair of magnetic field emissionstructures 404 each having magnets indicated by dashed lines. Above thesecond pair of magnetic field emission structures 404 (shown withmagnets) is another magnetic field emission structure where the magnetsare not shown, which is intended to provide clarity to theinterpretation of the depiction of the two magnetic field emissionstructures 404 below. Also shown are top views of the circumferences ofthe first and second pair of magnetic field emission structures 402 and404. As shown, the first pair of magnetic field emission structures 402have a relatively small number of relatively large (and stronger)magnets 406 when compared to the second pair of magnetic field emissionstructures 404 that have a relatively large number of relatively small(and weaker) magnets 408. For this figure, the peak spatial force foreach of the two pairs of magnetic field emission structures 402 and 404are the same. However, the distances D1 and D2 at which the magneticfields of each of the pairs of magnetic field emission structures 402and 404 substantially interact (shown by up and down arrows) depends onthe strength of the magnets 406 and 408 and the area over which they aredistributed. As such, the much larger surface of the second magneticfield emission structure 404 having much smaller magnets 408 will notsubstantially attract until much closer than that of first magneticfield emission structure 402 having much larger magnets 406. Thismagnetic strength per unit area attribute as well as a magnetic spatialfrequency (i.e., # magnetic reversals per unit area) can be used todesign structures to meet safety requirements. For example, two magneticfield emission structures 404 can be designed to not have significantattraction force if a finger is between them (or in other words thestructures wouldn't have significant attraction force until they aresubstantially close together thereby reducing (if not preventing) theopportunity/likelihood for body parts or other things such as clothinggetting caught in between the structures).

FIG. 4B depicts an exemplary magnetic field emission structure 410 madeup of a sparse array of large magnets (or magnetic sources) 406 combinedwith a large number of smaller magnets (or magnetic sources) 408configured in a non-magnetic material 412 (e.g., plastic or aluminum),whereby alignment with a mirror image magnetic field emission structurewould be provided by the large sources and a repel force would beprovided by the smaller sources. Generally, the larger (i.e., stronger)magnets achieve a significant attraction force (or repelling force) at agreater separation distance than smaller magnets. Because of thischaracteristic, combinational structures having two or more portionshaving magnetic sources of different strengths can be constructed thateffectively have two (or more) spatial force functions corresponding tothe different levels of magnetic strengths employed. As the magneticfield emission structures 410 are brought closer together, the spatialforce function of the strongest magnets is first to engage at a firstdistance, and the spatial force functions of the weaker magnets willengage when the magnetic field emission structures 410 are moved closeenough together at a lessor second distance, at which the spatial forcefunctions of the different sized magnets begin to noticeably combine.

Referring back to FIG. 4B, multiple first portions of the field emissionstructure corresponding to the sparse array of stronger magnetic sources406 is coded such that it will seek to correlate (e.g., in this case,align) with a mirror image sparse array of magnetic sources 406.However, the number and polarity of the smaller (i.e., weaker) magnets408 of the multiple second portions of the magnetic field emissionstructures can be tailored such that when the two magnetic fieldemission structures are aligned and substantially close together, themagnetic force of the smaller magnetic sources 408 can overtake that ofthe larger magnetic sources 406 such that an equilibrium will beachieved at some distance between the two magnetic field emissionstructures, where attract forces equal repel forces. As such, thestronger magnetic sources 406 can provide the two magnetic fieldemission structures an alignment behavior while contact of the twomagnetic field emission structures can be prevented by the weakermagnetic sources 408. Similarly, the smaller, weaker magnetic sources408 can be used to noticeably vary the forces produced by the largermagnetic sources 406, for example adding to the attraction forcesbetween the two magnetic field emission structures.

Generally, one skilled in the art will understand that smaller magneticsources 408 in opposing first portions of magnetic structures, which canbe complementary or anti-complementary, can be used to noticeably vary(i.e., add to or subtract from) the attraction forces produced by thelarger magnetic sources 406 in opposing second portions of the magneticstructures when two magnetic structures are close enough together, wheresuch smaller magnetic sources 408 will have little effect on theattraction forces produced by the larger magnetic sources 406 when thetwo magnetic structures are farther apart.

FIG. 5 depicts relative alignments of a first magnetic field emissionstructure 102 having polarities and magnetic source positions defined bya Barker length 7 code 100 and a second magnetic field emissionstructure 500 that corresponds to three repeating code modulos of thecode 100 used to define the first magnetic field emission structure 102,where a code modulo is an instance of a code. Because the code of thesecond magnetic field structure 500 repeats, it can be referred to as acyclic structure. Each magnetic source has the same or substantially thesame magnetic field strength (or amplitude), which for the sake of thisexample will be provided a unit of 1 (A=−R, A=1, R=−1). Shown in FIG. 5are thirteen different alignments 500-1 through 500-13 of the firstmagnetic field emission structure 102 and the second magnetic fieldemission structure 500, where all the magnetic sources of the firstmagnetic structure 502 are always interfacing with seven magneticsources of the second magnetic field emission structure 500. For eachrelative alignment, the number of magnetic source pairs that repel plusthe number of magnetic source pairs that attract is calculated, whereeach alignment has a spatial force in accordance with a spatial forcefunction based upon the correlation function and the magnetic fieldstrengths of the magnetic sources. With the specific Barker code used,the spatial force varies from −1 to 7, where the peak occurs when thetwo magnetic field emission structures are aligned such that theirrespective codes are aligned. The off peak spatial force, referred to asside lobe force, is −1. As such, the spatial force function causes thestructures to generally repel each other unless they are substantiallyaligned when they will attract as if the magnetic sources in thestructures were not coded.

FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary spatial force function 600 of the twomagnetic field emission structures of FIG. 5, where the code thatdefines the second magnetic field emission structure 500 repeats. Assuch, as the code modulo repeats there is a peak spatial force thatrepeats every seven alignment shifts. The dash-dot lines of FIG. 6depict additional peak spatial forces that occur when the first magneticfield structure 102 is moved relative to additional code modulos, forexample, two additional code modulos. Note that the total force shows apeak of 7 each time the sliding magnetic field emission structure 102aligns with the underlying Barker 7 pattern in a similar manner aspreviously described for FIG. 2 except the misaligned positions(positions 1-6 for example) show a constant −1 indicating a repellingforce of one magnetic source pair. In contrast, the off-peak force inFIG. 2 alternates between 0 and −1 in the misaligned region, where thealternating values are the result of their being relative positions ofnon-cyclic structures where magnetic sources do not have a correspondingmagnetic source with which to pair up. In magnet field emissionstructures, cyclic codes may be placed in repeating patterns to formlonger patterns or may cycle back to the beginning of the code as in acircle or racetrack pattern. As such, cyclic codes are useful oncylindrically or spherically shaped objects.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,868,721, filed Jan. 23, 2010 and issued Jan. 11, 2011,is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. Pat. No. 7,800,471. Itdiscloses ring magnet structures, use of a bias magnet or magneticsource, and a composite ring magnet structure. The disclosurespertaining to FIGS. 7A through 10 below are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.7,868,721.

FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate exemplary ring magnet structures based on linearcodes. Referring to FIG. 7A, a ring magnet structure 700 comprises sevenmagnets arranged in a circular ring with the magnet axes perpendicularto the plane of the ring and the interface surface is parallel to theplane of the ring. The exemplary magnet polarity pattern or code shownin FIG. 7A is the Barker 7 code. One may observe the “+, +, +, −, −, +,−” pattern beginning with magnet 702 and moving clockwise as indicatedby arrow 704. A further interesting feature of this configuration isthat the pattern may be considered to then wrap on it and effectivelyrepeat indefinitely as one continues around the circle multiple times.Thus, one could use cyclic linear codes arranged in a circle to achievecyclic code performance for rotational motion around the ring axis. TheBarker 7 base pattern shown would be paired with a complementary ringmagnet structure placed on top of the magnet structure face shown. Asthe complementary ring magnet structure is rotated, the force patterncan be seen to be equivalent to that of FIG. 6 because the complementarymagnet structure is always overlapping a head to tail Barker 7 cycliccode pattern.

FIG. 7B shows a magnet structure 706 based on the ring code of FIG. 38awith an additional magnet 708 in the center. Magnet structure 706 has aneven number of magnets. At least two features of interest are modifiedby the addition of the magnet 708 in the center. For rotation about thering axis, one may note that the center magnet pair (in the base and inthe complementary structure) remains aligned for all rotations. Thus,the center magnet pair adds a constant attraction or repelling force.Such magnets are referred to herein as biasing magnet sources. If thebias magnetic sources produced a constant attract force of +1 then thegraph of FIG. 6 would be shifted from a repelling force of −1 andattracting force of 7 to a repelling force of 0 and an attracting forceof 8 such that the magnetic structures would yield a neutral force whennot aligned. Note also that the central magnet pair may be any value,for example −3, yielding an equal magnitude repelling and attractingforce of −4 and +4, respectively. Generally, the complementary magneticstructures can be described as having first portions comprising codedmagnets and second portions comprising biasing magnets.

FIG. 7C illustrates two concentric rings, each based on a linear cycliccode, resulting in a composite ring magnet structure 710. The compositering magnetic structure 710 of FIG. 7C comprises a Barker 7 inner ringthat is the same as the ring structure of FIG. 7A and a Barker 13 outerring. The Barker 7 code begins with magnet 702 and the Barker 13 codebegins with magnet 712. Generally, the complementary magnetic structurescan be described as having first portions comprising coded magnets andsecond portions comprising coded magnets, where the concepts of FIGS. 7Band 7C could be combined such that the complementary magnetic structuresalso had first portions comprising coded magnets, second portionscomprising coded magnets, and third portions comprising biasing magnets.

FIG. 8 depicts an exemplary use of biasing magnet sources to affectspatial forces of magnetic field structures. Referring to FIG. 8, a topdown view of two magnetic field structures is depicted. A first magneticfield structure 800 comprises magnetic field sources arranged inaccordance with four repeating code modulos 802 of a Barker Length 7code and also having on either side magnetic field sources having Northpolarity and a strength of 3. The individual sources have a strength of1, as was the case in the example depicted in FIG. 5. A second magneticfield structure 804 is also coded in accordance with the Barker Length 7code such that the bottom side of the second magnetic field structurehas the mirror image coding of the top side of the first magnetic fieldstructure. Both magnetic field structures have biasing magnets 806configured to always provide a repel strength of 6 (or −6) whenever thesecond magnetic field structure 804 is placed on top of the firstmagnetic field structure 800. When the second magnetic field structure804 is moved across the top of the first magnetic field structure 800the spatial forces produced will be as depicted in FIG. 9. When FIG. 9is compared to FIG. 6, one skilled in the art will recognize that thezero attraction line has moved from a first position 902 to a secondposition 904 as a result of the biasing magnets 806 and that manydifferent arrangements of biasing magnets can be used to vary spatialforce functions by adding constant repelling or attracting forcesalongside those forces that vary based on relative positioning ofmagnetic field structures.

FIG. 10 depicts exemplary magnetic field structures designed to enableautomatically closing drawers. The poles (+, −) depicted for themagnetic sources of the first magnetic field structure 1000 a representthe values on the top of the structure as viewed from the top. The polesdepicted for the magnetic sources of the second magnetic field structure1000 b represent the values on the bottom of the structure as viewedfrom the top. Each of the structures consists of eight columns numberedleft to right 0 to 7. The first seven rows of the structures are codedin accordance with a Barker Length 7 code 1002 or the mirror image ofthe code 1004. The eighth row of each structure is a biasing magnet1006. At the bottom of FIG. 49a , eight different alignments 1008 athrough 1000 h of the two magnetic field structures 1000 a 1000 b areshown with the magnetic force calculated to the right of each depictedalignment. One skilled in the art will recognize that if the firststructure 1000 a was attached to a cabinet and the second structure 1000b was attached to a drawer, that a first alignment position 1008 ahaving a +6 magnetic force might be the closed position for the drawerand each of the other seven positions 1008 b through 1008 h representopen positions having a successively increasing repelling force. Withthis arrangement, a person could open the drawer and release it at anyopen position and the drawer would automatically close. The twostructures 1000 a 1000 b could be generally described as each having afirst portion (i.e., first seven rows) comprising coded magnets andhaving a second portion (i.e., last row) having biasing magnets. It canalso be noted that the amount of the biasing repel force producedbetween the magnetic structures 1000 a 1000 b increases with the numberor interfacing biasing magnets as the first magnetic structure 1000 amoves relative to the second magnetic structure 1000 b.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,982,568, filed Sep. 18, 2010 and issued Jul. 19, 2011,discloses multi-level magnetic structures having inner and outerportions having different code densities, coding at least one portion,printing a sparse array of maxels having one polarity on the oppositepolarity side of a conventional magnet, three concentric portions,composite force curves that transition from attract to repel, use ofamplitude modulation to vary a composite force curve. The disclosurespertaining to FIGS. 11 through 15 below are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.7,868,721 with the exception of the disclosure pertaining to FIG. 14D,which was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,727, filed Feb. 10, 1989 andissued Mar. 27, 1990.

FIG. 11 depicts an exemplary first magnet 1102 a and an exemplary secondmagnet 1102 b in an anti-complementary relationship, where the Northpolarity sides 1104 a 1104 b of the two magnets face each other suchthat they produce a repel force.

FIG. 12 depicts an exemplary force versus distance plot 1200 having anexemplary repel force curve 1202, which is typically described asfollowing an inverse square law where the force produced by twointerfacing magnets decreases inversely proportional to the square ofthe distance between them. Magnets are also described as following aninverse cube law where the force produced by two interfacing magnetdecrease inversely proportional to the cube of the distance betweenthem.

The shape of a force curve of interfacing multi-pole magnets depends onthe code density of the magnets, which corresponds to the number ofpolarity reversals per area of magnet material.

FIG. 13 depicts multiple force curves 1302 through 1310 produced byvarying the code density of the magnet sources of a complementary magnetpair using instances of a simple two-dimensional alternating polarity‘checkerboard’ code. In this case, the material is NdFeB N42-grade ¾″square magnets at a thickness of ⅛″ and code density is varied from 4 to16 to 64 to 256 for comparison to the force curve of a conventionalmagnet (code density=1). While code density affects the severity of theslope of the force curve, as well as peak and far-field force levels,the magnetic source size, shape and amplitude affect the engagementdistance of the forces of the magnet pair.

As previously described, opposing (i.e. both attract and repel) forcescan be employed in interfacing magnetic structures simultaneouslyproviding the magnet designer the ability to impart inflections into aforce curve. The amplitude of a given printed magnetic source (or maxel)can be adjusted by varying the input power on the induction coil as themagnets are being ‘printed/manufactured’ which in turn affects the shapeof a force curve. Attract and repel forces can be increased or decreasedand the inflection point can be prescribed to meet specific applicationrequirements.

FIGS. 14A-14C depict exemplary approaches for subdividing a single pieceof magnetizable material into two or more portions that can bemagnetized to produce different force curves that combine to produce acomposite force curve. Referring to FIG. 14A, an exemplary magneticsystem 1400 comprises two disc-shaped pieces of material 1402 a and 1402b each subdivided into an outer portion 1404 a and 1404 b and an innerportion 1406 a and 1406 b. Similarly, FIG. 14B depict an exemplarymagnetic system 1408 that comprises two square-shaped pieces of material1410 a and 1410 b each subdivided into an outer portion 1412 a and 1412b and an inner portion 1414 a and 1414 b. FIG. 14C depicts an exemplarymagnetic system 1416, where two conventional magnets 1418 a and 1418 bhave first sides 1420 a and 1420 b having a first polarity that have hadsparse arrays of maxels 1422 a and 1422 b having a second polarityprinted into them, which creates first portions about the maxels thathave a higher code density than larger second portions of the magnetshaving the first polarity.

FIG. 14D depicts an exemplary magnetic system 1424 comprising multiplediscrete magnets disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,727. Referring to FIG.14D, the magnetic system 1424 comprises a first pair of interfacingfirst portions 1426 a and 1426 b and a second pair of interfacing firstportions 1426 c and 1426 d that each comprise four small magnets in analternating polarity pattern configured to produce an attract forcecurve. The magnetic system 1424 also comprises opposing second portions1428 a and 1428 b that each comprise a single large magnet, where thetwo large magnets are configured to produce a repel force curve. Inbetween the first and second portions are regions of non-magneticmaterial 1430 a-1430 d.

Generally, after one or more pieces of magnetizable material have beensubdivided into portions to be allocated to different force curves suchas disclosed in FIGS. 14A-14C, the first portions can be magnetized tohave a first code density and the second portions can be magnetized tohave a second code density, where the first code density can be greaterthan or less than the second code density, and where the first portionsand/or the second portions produce repel forces and/or the firstportions and/or the second portions produce attract forces. Moreover,one or more first portions and/or one or more second portions may beseparated such that they have non-magnetized material in between them,which could be for example a polycarbonate, plastic, aluminum, or thelike.

Under one arrangement depicted in FIG. 15, the first and second portionsproduce attract and repel force curves that combine to produce acomposite force curve that can have a near field repel and a far fieldattract or a near field attract and a far field repel. Referring to FIG.15, a force versus distance plot 1500 includes a first force curve 1502,which can be an attract force curve and a second force curve 1504, whichcan be a repel force curve, where the second force curve has thestrongest force at zero distance but has a much faster extinction ratethan the first force curve. The two force curves combine to produce acomposite force curve 1506, which crosses over from an attract force toa repel force at a transition distance 1508. This arrangement has beendescribed as producing a multi-level contactless attachment behaviorsince the magnetic structures are attracted to each other as they arebrought together but then begin to repel each other, where they can beconfigured such that they remain magnetically attached yet separated.Alternatively, the first force curve 1502 can produce a repel force andthe second force curve 1504 can produce an attract force. Thisarrangement has been described as producing a multi-level repel and snapbehavior since the magnetic structures repel each other as they arebrought together but then attract each other so that they will snaptogether (i.e., attach). With this arrangement, the terms near field andfar field are typically meant to correspond to the magnetic field oneach side of the transition distance, where near field is the field atdistances less than the transition distance and the far field is thefield at distances greater than the transition distance.

FIGS. 16A-16C depict exemplary approaches for subdividing rectangularpiece of magnetizable material into two or more portions that can bemagnetized to produce different force curves that combine to produce acomposite force curve. Referring to FIG. 16A, a magnetic system 1600comprises a first rectangular material 1602 a and a second rectangularmaterial 1602 b that are each subdivided into first portions 1604 a and1604 b and second portions 1606 a and 1606 b, where the first and secondportions may or may not be equal in size. FIG. 16B depicts a magneticsystem 1608 that comprises two pairs of the first and second rectangularmaterial 1602 a and 1602 b of FIG. 16A where one of the magnet pairs isrotated 180 relative to the other pair. Typically such an arrangementwould be used where the two pairs are constrained such that they aremagnetically balanced across an interface boundary extending between thetwo pairs. FIG. 16C depicts a magnetic system comprising two magnets1602 a and 1602 b that are subdivided into first portions 1604 a 1604 band two pairs of second portions 1606 a and 1606 b, and 1606 c and 1606d where the two magnets 1602 a 1602 b are configured to be magneticallybalanced across an interface boundary extending between the two magnets.

Under another arrangement depicted in FIG. 17, the first and secondportions produce attract and repel force curves that combine to producea composite force curve that is also an attract (only) force curve. Inother words, when the repel force curve and attract force curve producedby the first and second portions combine, the repel force curve has theeffect of reducing the attract forces in the near field withoutovertaking them such that composite (i.e., net) forces are all attractforces. Under yet another arrangement, the first and second portions canproduce attract and repel force curves that combine to produce acomposite force curve that is also a repel (only) force curve. For thesetwo arrangements, the force curve tailoring process can be viewed asusing the first portions of a magnet pair to produce attract (or repel)force curve characteristics that are desirable in the far field (e.g.,providing some desired amount of force at some separation distance D)and then using the remaining second portions of the magnet pair toproduce repel (or attract) forces that partially cancel the attract (orrepel) forces primarily in the near field portion of the attract (orrepel) force curve produced by the first portions in the near field.With these arrangements, the terms near field and far field aretypically meant to correspond to the magnetic field on each side of aneffective field cancellation distance beyond which the magnetic fieldproduced by the second portions have only a very minor cancellationeffect, the acceptable impact of which may be established by theunderlying engineering requirements or tolerances, where the near fieldis the field at distances less than the effective field cancellationdistance and the far field is the field at distances greater than theeffective field cancellation distance.

Referring to FIG. 17, a force versus distance plot 1700 includes a firstforce curve 1702, which is an attract force curve and a second forcecurve 1704, which is a repel force curve, where the second force curvehas a weaker force at zero distance and has a much faster extinctionrate than the first force curve. The two force curves combine to producea composite force curve 1706, which is also an attract force curve,where there may or may not be an inflection point 1708. Referring toFIG. 17, an effective field cancellation distance might be selected tobe about 3.8 mm, where at distances beyond 3.8 mm the cancellationeffect of the cancelling magnetic field is considered to be very minor.

FIGS. 18A-18C depict three exemplary magnetic systems each involving tworectangular pieces of magnetizable material of the same size and grade.Referring to FIG. 18A, a first exemplary magnetic system 1800 comprisesa first rectangular material 1602 a and a second rectangular material1602 b that are each subdivided into first portions 1604 a and 1604 band second portions 1606 a and 1606 b as indicated by a dividing line1802. The first portions comprise two alternating polarity regionsconfigured to produce attract forces and the second portions comprisetwelve alternating polarity regions configured to produce repel forces,where the materials 1602 a and 1602 b are subdivided approximately inhalf. Note, that the polarities shown (i.e., + and −) are those on theinterfacing sides of the respective pieces of material. Referring toFIG. 18B, a second exemplary magnetic system 1804 comprises a firstrectangular material 1602 a and a second rectangular material 1602 bthat are each subdivided into first portions 1604 a and 1604 b andsecond portions 1606 a and 1606 b as indicated by a dividing line 1802.The first portions comprise two alternating polarity regions configuredto produce attract forces and the second portions comprise elevenalternating polarity regions configured to produce repel forces, wherethe materials are subdivided such that more than half of the materialsproduce attract forces. Referring to FIG. 18c , a third exemplarymagnetic system 1806 comprises a first rectangular material 1602 a and asecond rectangular material 1602 b that are each subdivided into firstportions 1604 a and 1604 b and second portions 1606 a and 1606 b asindicated by a dividing line 1802. The first portions comprise twoalternating polarity regions configured to produce attract forces andthe second portions comprise thirteen alternating polarity regionsconfigured to produce repel forces, where the materials are subdividedsuch that less than half of the materials produced attract forces.

FIG. 19 depicts the three composite force curves corresponding to thethree exemplary magnetic systems of FIGS. 18A-18C. Referring to FIG. 19,a first composite force curve 1902 corresponds to Design A depicted inFIG. 18A, a second composite force curve 1904 corresponds to Design Bdepicted in FIG. 18B, and a third composite force curve 1906 correspondsto Design C depicted in FIG. 18C. The third composite force curve 1906has an inflection point 1708 and has about the same attract forcebetween 1.35 mm to 2.35 mm of separation distance. As such, as the firstrectangular material 1602 a approaches the second rectangular material1602 b of the third magnetic system 1806, the fields of the smallermagnetic sources of the second portions 1606 a and 1606 b substantiallycancel and the fields of the larger magnetic sources of the firstportions 1604 a and 1604 b cause the two rectangular material 1602 a and1602 b to align and then attach. When removing the first rectangularmaterial 1602 a from the second rectangular material 1602 b, therequired removing force is much less than those of the other twodesigns. Thus, Design C produces alignment and required strength in thefar field as do the other two designs but maintains about the samestrength in the near field thereby making detachment easier. Thecomposite force curves of the three designs show the effect ofallocating more of the material to far field effects (e.g., attract,repel, alignment behavior) versus near field effects (e.g., forcecancellation), where Design A can be considered a reference where DesignB allocates more material to far field effects and less to near fieldeffects than does Design A and Design C allocates more material to nearfield effects and less to far field effects than does Design A.

FIGS. 20A-20C depict three exemplary magnetic systems very similar tothe magnetic systems of FIGS. 18A-18C, where the first portions 1604 a1604 b of each of the three magnetic systems has a polarity pattern inaccordance with a Barker 3 code. Generally, one skilled in the art willunderstand that all sorts of codes can be used to cause alignmentbehaviors including any one of the family of Barker codes.

FIG. 21 depicts an exemplary magnetic system 2100 much like that of FIG.20C except the second portions 1606 a and 1606 b have a two dimensionalalternating polarity pattern.

FIG. 22 depicts an exemplary magnetic system 220 much like that of FIG.20C except the second portions 1606 a and 1606 b have a sparse array ofmaxels of a first polarity that are printed on the side of materialhaving a second polarity.

FIGS. 23A-23C depict exemplary magnetic systems 2300, 2308, and 2310each involving two circular pieces of magnetizable material 2302 a and2302 b of the same size and grade. Each of the two pieces of material2302 a and 2302 b of each of the three magnetic systems is subdividedinto first portions 2304 a and 2304 b by a dividing line 1802. Referringto FIG. 23A, the two circular pieces of material 2302 a and 2302 b havebeen subdivided into halves, where the first portions 2304 a and 2304 bcomprise two alternating polarity regions configured to produce attractforces and the second portions 2306 a and 2306 b comprise eightalternating polarity regions configured to produce repel forces.Referring to FIG. 23B, the two circular pieces of material 2302 a and2302 b have been subdivided such that first portions 2304 a and 2304 bare allocated approximately ⅔ of the materials 2302 a and 2302 b and thesecond portions 2306 a and 2306 b are allocated approximately ⅓ of thematerials 2302 a and 2302 b, where the first portions 2304 a 2304 bcomprise three polarity regions in accordance with a Barker 3 code thatare configured to produce attract forces and the second portions 2306 aand 2306 b comprise six alternating polarity regions configured toproduce repel forces. The magnetic system of FIG. 23C is the same asthat of FIG. 23B except the first portions are not subdivided andinstead just have opposite polarities.

FIG. 24 depicts an exemplary method 2400 for producing a magnetic systemcomprising providing at least two pieces of magnetizable material(2402), subdividing each of the two pieces of material into two or moreportions (2404), magnetizing the two or more portions of each piece ofmaterial to produce a plurality of force curves that combine to producea composite force curve that is an attract force curve or to produce acomposite force curve that is a repel force curve (2406), where thecomposite force curve may have an inflection point. Optionally,magnetize at least one portion of each piece of material to produce analignment behavior (2408). Under one arrangement, each force curve ofthe plurality of force curves is an attract force curve. Under anotherarrangement, each force curve of the plurality of force curves is arepel force curve. Under another arrangement, at least one force curveof the plurality of force curves is an attract force curve and at leastone force curve of the plurality of force curves is a repel force curve.One skilled in the art will recognize that the at least two pieces ofmaterial may have the same sizes or shapes or may have different sizesor shapes. Moreover, a given portion of a plurality of portions can besubdivided into one or more sub-portions where a given portion or agiven sub-portion may be separate from any other portion as long asopposing portions and/or sub-portions produce the correspondingplurality of force curves.

One skilled in the art will understand that cancelling attract forces inthe near field with repel forces can impact alignment behavior of theattract forces in the near field resulting from coding of magneticsources. One skilled in the art will understand that because the smallermagnetic sources in the second portions of the materials have analternating polarity arrangement, where the number of magnetic sourcesof a given polarity are the same or about the same than the number ofmagnetic sources having an opposite polarity, that the magnetic fieldscorresponding to the smaller magnetic sources will substantially cancelin the far field and therefore not appreciably effect alignment behaviorresulting from coding of the magnetic sources in the first portions ofthe materials. However, as the separation distance between the materialsdecreases the magnetic fields of the smaller magnetic sources of thesecond portions of the material can begin to affect the alignmentbehavior of the larger magnetic sources of the first portions of thematerials. As such, it may be desirable to use a movement constrainingmechanism with a magnetic system to provide a mechanical alignmentmechanism. For example, one or more pins might interact with one or moreholes or one of the two pieces of material might be recessed into acavity, which might have a depth corresponding to a determined effectivefield cancellation distance or some other distance at which an alignmentbehavior is determined to no longer be effective.

FIG. 25 depicts an exemplary magnetic system 2500 comprising anexemplary pair of magnetic systems 1806 a and 1806 b that are each likethe exemplary magnetic system 1806 of FIG. 18C. The pair of magneticsystems 1806 a and 1806 b are configured within two objects 2502 a and2502 b (e.g., two pieces of aluminum) in a manner much like theexemplary magnetic system 1608 shown in FIG. 16B, where the firstmagnetic materials 1602 a and the second magnetic materials 1602 b ofthe two magnetic systems 1806 a and 1806 b are separated by anon-magnetized region. As shown, the first object has two pegs 2504 thatwill insert into corresponding holes 2506 of the second object when thetwo objects are brought into alignment and are close enough togethersuch that the pegs 2504 and holes 2506 provide for mechanical alignmentof the two objects 2502 a and 2502 b. The pegs and holes are shown beingalong a line parallel to an interface boundary between the pair ofmagnetic systems 1806 a and 1806 b but could otherwise configured wherethey also provide for mechanical alignment of the two objects 2502 a and2502 b.

FIG. 26 depicts an exemplary magnetic system 2600 comprising anexemplary magnetic system 1806 that is like the exemplary magneticsystem 1806 of FIG. 18C. The magnetic system 1806 comprises first andsecond magnetic materials 1602 a and 1602 b that are configured withintwo objects 2602 a and 2602 b (e.g., two pieces of plastic) havingrespective recessed areas 2604 a and 2604 b, where the recessed area2604 a of the first object 2602 a is deeper than the thickness of thefirst magnetic material 1602 a and the recessed area 2604 b of thesecond object 2602 b is shallower than the thickness of the secondmagnetic material 1602 b. The first magnetic material 1602 a is locatedinside the recessed area 2604 a of first object 2602 a where there isadditional volume within the recessed area 2604 a within which a portionof the second magnetic material 1602 b can be inserted. The secondmagnetic material 2602 b is partially inside the recessed area 2604 b ofthe second object 2602 b, such that a remaining part of the secondmagnetic material 2602 b extends outside the second object 2602 b, whichcan be inserted into the additional volume within the recessed area 2604a of the first object 2602 a. As such, the portion of the secondmagnetic material extending from the second object acts as a maleportion and the additional volume within the recessed area 2604 a actsas a female portion of a male-female coupling that provides for amechanical alignment of the two objects 2602 a and 2602 b.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been described, itwill be understood, however, that the invention is not limited thereto,since modifications may be made by those skilled in the art,particularly in light of the foregoing teachings.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A magnetic system comprising: a firstmulti-pole magnet comprising a first plurality of polarity regionshaving a first polarity pattern; a second multi-pole magnet comprising asecond plurality of polarity regions having a second polarity pattern; athird multi-pole magnet comprising a third plurality of polarity regionshaving a third polarity pattern; and a fourth multi-pole magnetcomprising a fourth plurality of polarity regions having a fourthpolarity pattern; wherein when said first polarity pattern is alignedwith said second polarity pattern, said first multi-pole magnet andsecond multi-pole magnet produce a first composite force curve, saidfirst composite force curve comprising a first force curve with a firstextinction rate and a second force curve with a second extinction rate,wherein said first composite force curve is an attract force curve andsaid first force curve is an attract force curve and said second forcecurve is a repel force curve and said first extinction rate is greaterthan said second extinction rate, wherein the first magnetizablematerial is moveable relative to said second magnetizable material in atleast two dimensions for a first portion of said first composite forcecurve, wherein said first multi-pole magnet is moveable relative to saidsecond multi-pole magnet in only one dimension for a second portion ofsaid first composite force curve, wherein said first multi-pole magnetand said second multi-pole magnet have a direction of magnetization, andwherein said first multi-pole magnet is moveable to said secondmulti-pole magnet substantially parallel to the direction ofmagnetization, wherein when said third polarity pattern is aligned withsaid fourth polarity pattern, said third multi-pole magnet and saidfourth multi-pole magnet produce a third magnetic force curve and afourth magnetic force curve, said third and fourth magnetic force curvescombining to produce a second composite force curve, wherein said firstand third multi-pole magnets are attached to a first object in a firststraight line with a spacing between said first and third multi-polemagnets, and wherein said second and fourth multi-pole magnets areattached to a second object in a second straight line with a spacingbetween said second and fourth multi-pole magnets, and wherein when saidfirst object and said second object are aligned such that said firststraight line is substantially parallel to said second straight line,said first composite force curve and said second composite force curvecombining to produce a third composite force curve.
 2. The system ofclaim 1, wherein said third composite force curve further comprises acomposite attract force curve having a third extinction rate and acomposite repel force curve having a fourth extinction rate, said thirdextinction rate being greater than said fourth extinction rate.
 3. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein said third multi-pole magnet comprises athird polarity pattern, wherein said third polarity pattern correspondsto the first polarity pattern rotated 180 degrees.
 4. A magnetic systemcomprising: a first portion of a first magnetizable material having afirst polarity pattern; and a second portion of said first magnetizablematerial having a second polarity pattern, wherein when said firstmagnetizable material is aligned with a second magnetizable materialsaid first magnetizable material and said second magnetizable materialproduce magnetic forces in accordance with a repel force curve and afirst attract force curve that combine to produce a composite forcecurve that is a second attract force curve, wherein said second attractforce curve comprises an inflection point, wherein said first attractforce curve has a first peak attract force and said second attract forcecurve has a second peak attract force that is less than said first peakattract force, wherein said first magnetizable material is moveablerelative to said second magnetizable material in at least two dimensionswhen in a first portion of said composite force curve.
 5. The magneticsystem of claim 4, wherein said inflection point comprises a transitionfrom an increasing attract force to a decreasing attract force.
 6. Themagnetic system of claim 4, wherein said first magnetizable material ismovable relative to said second magnetizable material in only onedimension when in a second portion of said composite force curve.
 7. Themagnetic system of claim 6, further comprising a third magnetizablematerial and a fourth magnetizable material, wherein said first andthird magnetizable materials are disposed in a first straight line, andwherein said second and fourth magnetizable materials are disposed in asecond straight line.
 8. The magnetic system of claim 7, wherein saidfirst and second magnetizable materials are separated by a firstseparation distance and said third and fourth magnetizable materials areseparated by a second separation distance, and wherein said first andseparation distances are substantially the same.
 9. The system of claim7, wherein said third magnetizable material comprises a third polaritypattern, and wherein said third polarity pattern corresponds to thefirst polarity pattern rotated 180 degrees.
 10. A magnetic systemcomprising: a first magnetizable material having a first polaritypattern and a second polarity pattern; and a third magnetizable materialhaving said first polarity pattern and said second polarity pattern,said first magnetizable material and said third magnetizable materialeach producing a repel force curve and an attract force curve thatcombine to produce a composite force curve when aligned with a secondmagnetizable material and a fourth magnetizable material, said first andthird magnetizable materials being attached to a first object in a firststraight line with a first spacing between said first and thirdmagnetizable materials, said second and fourth magnetizable materialsbeing attached to a second object in a second straight line with asecond spacing between said second and fourth magnetizable materials,said first spacing being substantially the same as said second spacing.11. The magnetic system of claim 10, wherein said first magnetizablematerial comprises an asymmetric polarity pattern.
 12. The magneticsystem of claim 11, wherein said second magnetizable material comprisesan asymmetric polarity pattern.
 13. The magnetic system of claim 10,wherein said first magnetizable material comprises an unbalancedpolarity pattern.
 14. The magnetic system of claim 13, wherein saidsecond magnetizable material comprises an asymmetric polarity pattern.15. The system of claim 10, wherein said first and second polaritypatterns of said third magnetizable material are rotated 180 degreesrelative to said first and second polarity patterns of said firstmagnetizable material.
 16. A magnetic system comprising: a firstmagnetizable material comprising a first portion having a first polaritypattern and a second portion having a second polarity pattern; and athird magnetizable material having said first polarity pattern and saidsecond polarity pattern, said first magnetizable material and said thirdmagnetizable material each producing a repel force curve and an attractforce curve that combine to produce a composite force curve when alignedwith a second magnetizable material and a fourth magnetizable material,said first and third magnetizable materials being attached to a firstobject in a first straight line with a first spacing between said firstand third magnetizable materials, said second and fourth magnetizablematerials being attached to a second object in a second straight linewith a second spacing between said second and fourth magnetizablematerials, said first spacing being substantially the same as saidsecond spacing, said first and second polarity patterns of said thirdmagnetizable material being rotated 180 degrees relative to said firstand second polarity patterns of said first magnetizable material, andwherein each of said first and second magnetizable materials compriseasymmetric polarity patterns, and wherein each of said first and secondmagnetizable materials comprise unbalanced polarity patterns, andwherein said first object and said second object are moveable in atleast two dimensions when in a first portion of said composite forcecurve and wherein said first object and said second object are moveablein only one dimension when in a second portion of said composite forcecurve, and wherein said attract force curve comprises a first peakattract force and wherein said composite force curve comprises a secondpeak attract force, and wherein said first peak attract force is greaterthan said second peak attract force.